


Too much of a Goddess

by WrongMoveOrion



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fluff, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, Urination
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-31 19:29:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20120467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrongMoveOrion/pseuds/WrongMoveOrion
Summary: The Apprentice gets to witness the more 'human' side of Nadia.





	Too much of a Goddess

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to immagine the Apprentice however you want. I've intentionally avoided anything that would specify their\her\his gender.

The Palace is quiet. There's a peace I would have never imagined considering the stories of the deceased Count.  
Not that I am complaining. We are the only ones around, as far as I can tell. 

The heels of Nadia's riding boots resound on the marble floor as she walks by my side . A strand of hair came lose and is now hanging and waving in front of her eyes with each of her steps.  
Even when she’s tired she’s beautiful.

“The dinner protacted itself more than expected. “, she says, glancing at me. “I hope Vulgora didn’t bother you too much with his unsighlty presence. “

I don't care about the dinner. And yes, the Courtiers were awful, but I'm so glad to be with her that I have to make an effort not make it too obvious.

“It was easy going through all of that. You were with me. “

My cheeks are ablaze. I don't know where I found the courage to say it, but Nadia seems pleased. She tries to hide it, she struggles to hold back a smile, but in the end I'm more than happy to see her mouth bend. 

“My, “ she says, “I’m the one who should say that. “

Her hand searches and finds mine. She lingers on the ruby ring on my middle finger, the one she gave me, before caressing my knuckles. She’s warm. And so is my chest thinking about how close she is. 

We fall into a comfortable silence as we stroll through the spacious halls. The sound of our steps, the light of the candles and the few stray moonrays that manage to enter from the windows are our only companions.  
Nadia is the first one to break the silence. 

“I was wondering... would you like to be my guest tonight and keep me company in my quarters?”

The Countess' eyes are careful to avoid mine. She wants to avoid bothering me with her attentions. She’s trying be nochalant about it, but I can still see her concern. For a moment she seems almost cute, instead of being her usual majestical, goddess-like self. Inside, I rejoice at how much we’ve grown close, considering that she's letting me see such a new side of her.

“It would be my greatest pleasure. “, I reply smiling. 

Again, I don’t know where I find the courage to, but before I know it, I bring her hand to my lips and place the most gentle of kisses on her knuckles. She seems startled, but in a good way. She opens up in a smile. 

“I’m glad to hear you say so. “

My heart throbs for a moment before I notice how a general stiffness is taking over my companion and I feel myself growing tense in turn. I wonder: isn't her hand getting a little too restless in mine?

“Nadia... ?”, I ask puzzled.

“Yes, my dear? “, replies Nadia after a moment of hesitation. Her smile is wobbly and I can tell that something is distracting her. Could she be about to get one of her migraines? I try to find a roundabout way to ask about it. I don't know if we're close enough to talk about that yet, I don't want to pry. But I'm growing worried. 

“What’s wrong? “, I say in the end.

“I... Oh, I really can’t hide anything from you, can I? “. Her eyes light up, amused.

“I’m a magician. “, I declare, feigning a pride that I don’t own. I manage to make her chuckle, a little.

“Oh, I know. How could I forget it? If it wasn’t for that we would have never met, after all. “

I like her usual way of coddling me, but at the same time I can tell she’s avoiding my question. She must sense my skeptical thoughts, for she lets out a sigh. For a moment I can see how much the day must have fatigued her. I can't help but squeeze her hand a little, hoping that the warmth will comfort her. I wish I could do something more.

“I’m just looking forward to reaching my rooms. “, she says. 

She offers me a tired smile as she squeezes my hand back.  
She didn't really answer my question, but I don't want to insist. She's already had enough to deal with for today. I fall quiet, but my own inquietude doesn't subside. 

Soon we are at her doors. She lets me in first and I marvel at her rooms: there's a pleasant scent in the air and the opulence around me is shrouded in shadows for the most part, but the few moonrays that are pooling on the decorated pavement make the atmosphere quite romantic. I lose myself in it before I feel Nadia’s fingers slipping away from mine and my attention goes back to her.  
She’s undoing her braid, letting her long violet hair hang free and wild on her back before tying it up just enough for it to not be a bother.

“Allow me to excuse myself for a moment. “, she then says, back to her usual collected self. “Suit yourself in the meantime. Feel free to undress, if you want, and leave the clothes wherever you see fit. Head to bed first now, as you must be quite tired after all our adventures today. “ She offers me one of her soft smiles, then she slips away among the shadows.

I start undressing as she told me to, but I can't help following her movements through the little sounds she makes.  
I can tell she's behind the three-parted partition behind my left shoulder.  
From the sounds I hear, I guess she's doing what I'm doing: as I undo the buttons on my chest, she does the same with the golden ones on her exquisite corset, as I unbuckle my belt, I can hear the silver of hers clanging as it falls undone. Then her fingers move on to the buttons of her breeches while mine remain motionless. I'm listening with more attention now.  
My cheeks grow warmer in front of what I'm imagining.

I slip my boots off as fast as I can, trying not to listen, trying to respect her hospitality. I'm not a pervert, I don't want to act like this. And yet, what I hear next… I just can't help myself. Barefooted on the cold pavement, my clothes hanging from my half-naked body, I peek petween the partitions.

I wish I hadn't and yet my blood thunders underneath my skin.

The Countess, my lover. She has lowered the tight breeches that had been caging her thights throughout all day. Her skin, lost between the moonlight and the shadows, is a wonder of its own. I hold my breath: she's lowering her lacy underwear. I shouldn't look, I really shouldn't. I feel like I might die of embarassment if she finds me. And yet my eyes are glued to her, I can feel my pupils growing, indifferent to the shame in my chest. Between her legs, right beneath the end of her corset, there's a tuft of hair of the same color as her mane. The glance I manage to get is quick, sure, but is more than enough to make me hold back a gasp.  
As she thinks herself unobserved, her hands search for something I can't see between her feet. Nadia lowers herself. She'd like to hesitate, I can tell, but by now it's obvious that she can't afford it. 

I can't believe she hasn't noticed me yet. I feel like my breath is growing deafening, my heartbeat is like a battery of cannons.  
Soon a golden brook springs from between her thights. A stray ray of moonlight cachtes its glimmer as it falls in what I presume being a chamberpot. The sound it makes is remarkable. More than what Nadia would like it to be, for I see her growing uneasy and covering her mouth as she glances in the direction I came from.

She's all tensed up for a moment; then the relief overcomes her. She closes her eyes and her mouth opens to let out a silent sigh. 

My cheeks -and my lower abdomen- have grown far too hot to allow myself another second of that show. My sense of shame has finally gotten a grip on me. It's time to step back.

I let her be. She has more than deserved it, after all.

I undress, keeping only my underwear on, and crawl in Nadia's gargantuan bed. It's something like five times bigger than my bedroll in Asra's shop and the sheets are the cleanest I've ever touched. They’re soft and gentle on the skin. Their scent is a delicate blend between Nadia's personal perfume and something else, equally pleasant. I don't really mind it though. I can still hear Nadia. 

I burrow my burning face in the pillow- there's something like a dozen of them, who knows why. Despite the distance and the time which has elapsed, I can still hear the trickling in the chamberpot.  
When it ceases, I don't know whether I'm more relieved or disappointed. My good-manners choose the former.

Now that Nadia is done, I hear her sigh one last time. I hear water from a pitcher: she's washing herself before moving on to her night-time routine. Her clothes rustle, I hear the faint jingle of her jewels as she takes them off. I hear the brush working on her magnificent hair. She’s taking care of her toilette.

More rustling, then she appears: she's gorgeous. She put on a tight, semi-tansparent nightgown and the way the light plays with its fabric is spellbinding. She slips in bed. 

We're both too shy to exchange more than a few quick glances. 

For a moment, the only sound is the lonely call of an owl or some other animal in the gardens. Once more, Nadia is the one breaking the silence.

"Sorry for making you wait. ", she says unable to stand my gaze. I too can't meet her eyes as I mutter an insignificant reply. Her hands are still cold from the water she washed herself with. They find my bare tummy, then my left forearm and hand. They're a blessing against my scorching skin. We fall quiet again.

"I apologise…", she murmurs in the end, "That must have been unsightly of me."

I look at her and almost frown: she shouldn’t look so mortified about something like that. I have to refrain mysef from scolding her. Instead, I squeeze her hand and get close enough that I can see my eyes reflecting in hers. I'm pleased to feel her breath tickling the point of my nose and my lips.

"It wasn't Nadia. It was simply natural." After a moment I add, low: "I only wish you wouldn't be so sheepish about showing me the more human side of you."

"More human? ", she repeats amused.

"Yes, you know.", I mutter, embarassed at what I'm about to say. "You look so much like a goddess at times that I tend to forget that even a Countess like you needs a break every now and then."

My opinion must be quite different from what she thinks, for her eyes sparkle, surprised and yet amused. Her smile is nothing more than a skeptical bend. 

"Sweetheart, I'm far from being a goddess and even further from allowing myself this sort of break usually."

She kisses my nuckles.

"But I'm glad you don't mind." Her eyes run once more away from my face. She's so pretty when she's embarassed! I feel like I could kiss her for two days straight. However, she looks more uncomfortable than what I'd like as she adds: "I wish I would have been able to avoid such a… hrm-mmh, _necessity_ tonight. But I was unable to do so and I apologise for that. "

"There's no need to apologise. " It's my turn to kiss her hand now. It smells like lavender, I notice pleased. "But why didn't you excuse yourself sooner? "

"Because, my darling, a Countess does need to act like a goddess, most importantly during a formal dinner with her Court. There's no space for weaknesses or for 'humanity' in front of such… guests. "

"_Exactly_ because it was a dinner it would have been understandable if-… " She pushes her index on my lips, interrupting my rant. I was getting quite worked up and I can see she's holding back a chuckle. 

"I appreciate your concern dear.", she says, "But tonight I'd rather not talk any longer about this unpleasant topic. I'm weary, and so are you.", she adds. I'd like to reply, but I find myself struggling with a yawn. 

"… Fine. ", I mutter in front of the _I-told-you-so_ glance she shoots me.

She laughs, low. I can hear her arms moving. She pauses before touching me, as if asking for my permission. I don't think twice before scooting closer. Her arms wrap themselves around me, her warmth is the sweteest of lullabies.  
There's so much I should think of, Lucio's death, the Courtiers, the absence of Asra, the mysterious doctor.  
But she's right: I’m exhausted. 

I have the time to feel one last kiss on my forehead, then my eyes close and I fall into a dream-less slumber.

**Author's Note:**

> This is old. Like, really fucking old. So old, in fact that I've long lost track of the plot (I dropped the fandom a little after the Masquerade, I think ). Like before, I wrote this because there was a lack of this kind of content. And a general lack of sleep too, yes.  
In case someone is still looking for this sort of things, well then, I got you.  
Hope you enjoy, see you next time.


End file.
